Self-Reported Non-Celiac Wheat Sensitivity in High School Students: Demographic and Clinical Characteristics

Overview

Journal Nutrients

Date 2017 Jul 30

PMID 28753927

Citations 22

Authors

Antonio Carroccio

Ornella Giambalvo

Francesco La Blasca

Rosario Iacobucci

Alberto DAlcamo

Pasquale Mansueto

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Non-Celiac Wheat Sensitivity (NCWS) has recently been included among the gluten-related disorders. As no biomarkers of this disease exist, its frequency has been estimated based on self-reported symptoms, but to date no data are available about self-reported NCWS in teenagers.

Aim: To explore the prevalence of self-reported NCWS in a group of high school students and to study their demographic and clinical characteristics.

Methods: The study was performed between April 2015 and January 2016 in two high schools of a coastal town in the south of Sicily (Italy). A total of 555 students (mean age 17 years, 191 male, 364 female) completed a modified validated questionnaire for self-reported NCWS. The subjects who self-reported NCWS were then compared with all the others.

Results: Seven individuals (1.26%) had an established diagnosis of CD. The prevalence of self-reported NCWS was 12.2%, and 2.9% were following a gluten-free diet (GFD). Only 15 out of 68 (23%) NCWS self-reporters had consulted a doctor for this problem and only nine (14%) had undergone serological tests for celiac disease. The NCWS self-reporters very often had IBS symptoms (44%).

Conclusions: Self-reported NCWS was found to be common in teenagers, with a frequency of 12.2%; the frequency of GFD use was 2.9%, which was much higher than the percentage of known CD in the same population (1.26%). A greater awareness of the possible implications on the part of the subjects involved, and a more thorough medical approach to the study of self-reported wheat-induced symptoms are required.

Citing Articles

Fecal calprotectin levels in patients with non-celiac wheat sensitivity: a proof of concept.

Seidita A, Giuliano A, Soresi M, Chiavetta M, Nardi E, Mogavero G Intern Emerg Med. 2024; 19(5):1255-1266.

PMID: 38609737 PMC: 11364563. DOI: 10.1007/s11739-024-03595-7.

Diet associations in endometriosis: a critical narrative assessment with special reference to gluten.

Brouns F, Van Haaps A, Keszthelyi D, Venema K, Bongers M, Maas J Front Nutr. 2023; 10:1166929.

PMID: 37731404 PMC: 10507348. DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1166929.

Non-pharmacologic approaches to treatment of pediatric functional abdominal pain disorders.

Chakraborty P, Daniel R, Navarro F Front Pediatr. 2023; 11:1118874.

PMID: 37397151 PMC: 10311071. DOI: 10.3389/fped.2023.1118874.

Potential tolerability of ancient grains in non-celiac wheat sensitivity patients: A preliminary evaluation.

Seidita A, Mansueto P, Giuliano A, Chiavetta M, Mandreucci F, Soresi M Front Med (Lausanne). 2022; 9:995019.

PMID: 36250065 PMC: 9554215. DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.995019.

Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity and Protective Role of Dietary Polyphenols.

Calabriso N, Scoditti E, Massaro M, Maffia M, Chieppa M, Laddomada B Nutrients. 2022; 14(13).

PMID: 35807860 PMC: 9268201. DOI: 10.3390/nu14132679.

References

Shepherd S, Lomer M, Gibson P . Short-chain carbohydrates and functional gastrointestinal disorders. Am J Gastroenterol. 2013; 108(5):707-17. DOI: 10.1038/ajg.2013.96. View

Carroccio A, Mansueto P, Iacono G, Soresi M, DAlcamo A, Cavataio F . Non-celiac wheat sensitivity diagnosed by double-blind placebo-controlled challenge: exploring a new clinical entity. Am J Gastroenterol. 2012; 107(12):1898-906. DOI: 10.1038/ajg.2012.236. View

Biesiekierski J, Newnham E, Shepherd S, Muir J, Gibson P . Characterization of Adults With a Self-Diagnosis of Nonceliac Gluten Sensitivity. Nutr Clin Pract. 2014; 29(4):504-509. DOI: 10.1177/0884533614529163. View

van Gils T, Nijeboer P, IJssennagger C, Sanders D, Mulder C, Bouma G . Prevalence and Characterization of Self-Reported Gluten Sensitivity in The Netherlands. Nutrients. 2016; 8(11). PMC: 5133100. DOI: 10.3390/nu8110714. View

Tanpowpong P, Ingham T, Lampshire P, Kirchberg F, Epton M, Crane J . Coeliac disease and gluten avoidance in New Zealand children. Arch Dis Child. 2011; 97(1):12-6. DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2011-300248. View

Fritscher-Ravens A, Schuppan D, Ellrichmann M, Schoch S, Rocken C, Brasch J . Confocal endomicroscopy shows food-associated changes in the intestinal mucosa of patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Gastroenterology. 2014; 147(5):1012-20.e4. DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2014.07.046. View

Carroccio A, Mansueto P, DAlcamo A, Iacono G . Non-celiac wheat sensitivity as an allergic condition: personal experience and narrative review. Am J Gastroenterol. 2013; 108(12):1845-52. DOI: 10.1038/ajg.2013.353. View

Catassi C, Bai J, Bonaz B, Bouma G, Calabro A, Carroccio A . Non-Celiac Gluten sensitivity: the new frontier of gluten related disorders. Nutrients. 2013; 5(10):3839-53. PMC: 3820047. DOI: 10.3390/nu5103839. View

Carroccio A, DAlcamo A, Iacono G, Soresi M, Iacobucci R, Arini A . Persistence of Nonceliac Wheat Sensitivity, Based on Long-term Follow-up. Gastroenterology. 2017; 153(1):56-58.e3. DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2017.03.034. View

10.

DiGiacomo D, Tennyson C, Green P, Demmer R . Prevalence of gluten-free diet adherence among individuals without celiac disease in the USA: results from the Continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009-2010. Scand J Gastroenterol. 2013; 48(8):921-5. DOI: 10.3109/00365521.2013.809598. View

11.

Catassi C, Elli L, Bonaz B, Bouma G, Carroccio A, Castillejo G . Diagnosis of Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS): The Salerno Experts' Criteria. Nutrients. 2015; 7(6):4966-77. PMC: 4488826. DOI: 10.3390/nu7064966. View

12.

Molina-Infante J, Carroccio A . Suspected Nonceliac Gluten Sensitivity Confirmed in Few Patients After Gluten Challenge in Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trials. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2016; 15(3):339-348. DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2016.08.007. View

13.

Cooper B, Holmes G, Ferguson R, Thompson R, Allan R, COOKE W . Gluten-sensitive diarrhea without evidence of celiac disease. Gastroenterology. 1980; 79(5 Pt 1):801-6. View

14.

Sapone A, Bai J, Ciacci C, Dolinsek J, Green P, Hadjivassiliou M . Spectrum of gluten-related disorders: consensus on new nomenclature and classification. BMC Med. 2012; 10:13. PMC: 3292448. DOI: 10.1186/1741-7015-10-13. View

15.

Fasano A, Sapone A, Zevallos V, Schuppan D . Nonceliac gluten sensitivity. Gastroenterology. 2015; 148(6):1195-204. DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2014.12.049. View

16.

Golley S, Corsini N, Topping D, Morell M, Mohr P . Motivations for avoiding wheat consumption in Australia: results from a population survey. Public Health Nutr. 2014; 18(3):490-9. PMC: 10271735. DOI: 10.1017/S1368980014000652. View

17.

Verdu E, Armstrong D, Murray J . Between celiac disease and irritable bowel syndrome: the "no man's land" of gluten sensitivity. Am J Gastroenterol. 2009; 104(6):1587-94. PMC: 3480312. DOI: 10.1038/ajg.2009.188. View

18.

Aziz I, Lewis N, Hadjivassiliou M, Winfield S, Rugg N, Kelsall A . A UK study assessing the population prevalence of self-reported gluten sensitivity and referral characteristics to secondary care. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2013; 26(1):33-9. DOI: 10.1097/01.meg.0000435546.87251.f7. View

19.

Longstreth G, Grant Thompson W, Chey W, Houghton L, Mearin F, Spiller R . Functional bowel disorders. Gastroenterology. 2006; 130(5):1480-91. DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2005.11.061. View

20.

Ontiveros N, Lopez-Gallardo J, Vergara-Jimenez M, Cabrera-Chavez F . Self-Reported Prevalence of Symptomatic Adverse Reactions to Gluten and Adherence to Gluten-Free Diet in an Adult Mexican Population. Nutrients. 2015; 7(7):6000-15. PMC: 4517044. DOI: 10.3390/nu7075267. View